[don-o]

I watched the mission control coverage up until 9:15AM, not knowing that anything was wrong. Those people at mission control are as cool as cucumbers.

I turned on the NASA-TV stream off a FR thread which noted that the shuttle would be passing over San Fran on its glide path home. Tuned in at 9:00 EST, and withing a couple of minutes, the capccom was giving the "Columbia, Houston" call. Silence.

Call was repeated, Silence.

The commentatore was noting that no tracking data was coming in either. My pulse began to race. I knew it was a goner.

This is truly a sad day.

But, America shall roll sleeves up, figure out what went wrong, and get on with it. I am hoping for a fast track program for the next generation of space travel. Back to the Moon, then on to Mars.

I expect that the folks on Columbia would want it that way.

[bonesmccoy]

Who was capcom?

That has to be one of the loneliest jobs at NASA.

Tragic.

[Right_in_Virginia]

"This is truly a sad day. But, America shall roll sleeves up, figure out what went wrong, and get on with it. I am hoping for a fast track program for the next generation of space travel...I expect that the folks on Columbia would want it that way."

Amen to this, friend.

May the crew RIP and prayers for their families.